Abstract

Nursing is, as a profession, often portrayed or described as a homogenous and stable entity. This presentation argues otherwise. It is suggested that, in the 21st century, the profession of nursing may well splinter as fragmentary pressures make themselves felt. To justify and develop these claims the concept of 'interest' is introduced. It is proposed that while intra-professional divergences in interests are widely recognised within the nursing literature, the significance and implications of divergent interests are rarely acknowledged or explored. Emphasising the heterogeneous and potentially unstable nature of nursing generates questions about professional identity as well as the role, place and limits of critique in nursing.